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Bigfoot is 3DHobbyShop's first high-performance high-wing aircraft. The amazing maneuvers performed by Alaskan and Canadian bush pilots, and the rugged, light, maneuverable aircraft they fly, are the inspiration for this amazing model aircraft. Bushplanes rely on light weight, large wings, high power, and big flaps to do these amazing things. These extreme capabilities are very similar to 3D flight, and so Bigfoot fits right in to our 3DHobbyShop lineup of extremely high-performance aircraft.

Bigfoot is 84" in wingspan, and is a bushplane, drawing from the designs of several of these epic aircraft, rather than an exact scale model of any particular one. Built of strong, lightweight balsa and ply construction and covered in genuine Ultracote, Bigfoot is an impressive aircraft. Removable wing halves and carbon tube spar ensure easy transportation. Functional wing struts are included, as is functional tail bracing.

The landing gear is an important part of any bush plane. Bigfoot uses a resilient aluminum main gear assembly that bounces back from big hits. Although the Bigfoot kit includes a conventional pavement wheel, we expect virtually everyone to choose a big, bouncy bushplane tire for their Bigfoot. Our recommendation is the Du-Bro inflatable 6" tire, although these are even larger sizes available in the market, up to 8". The axles included in the Bigfoot kit will accommodate these large tires and feature positive retention. We have tested the 6" Dubro tire combo on dirt, clump grass, and rocks of various sizes, and it also works fine on pavement if you just want "the look".

The big flaps used on Bigfoot allow up to 85 degrees of deflection, although they are very effective at smaller throws. Bigfoot includes a metal spring-tailwheel assembly designed for use on very rough fields.

Bigfoot requires 6 full-size metal gear servos with at least 100 oz-inches of torque for the flight controls. We recommend a full-size/full-range receiver. Bigfoot includes a pre-built pocket with cover in the wing leading edge for installation of a landing light system if desired. Bigfoot includes a scale side hatch for battery and/or fuel system access.

Power

Bigfoot can be powered with electric or gas systems. For gasoline, we recommend any of the popular 30-35CC engines, such as the OS 33GT or the DLE 35RA. One servo for throttle control is required for gas.

For electric, we recommend a brushless outrunner such as Hacker A60-6XS and an ESC of at least 100 amps capacity. NOTE - Because the Bigfoot uses 6 servos, please ensure adequate receiver/servo power onboard. A 6S Lipo battery of 5000-6000mah capacity is recommended.

RTF weight of the Bigfoot is 12-14 lbs, and the Bigfoot is capable of a full suite of 3D maneuvers, including hovering, torque rolling, and rolling harrier flight, as well as snap rolls, knife-edge flight, and many other maneuvers in addition to classic Bigfoot ultra-short takeoffs and landings.

Bigfoot Flap Servos

NOTE: It may be tempting to use a cheap servo for the flaps on Bigfoot. Don’t do it. We use a hi-torque metal gear servo (our favorite is the Hitec HS-7954SH) to actuate the flaps, because the flaps are large and they take direct and intense prop blast every time you hit the throttle.

Flying the Bigfoot

Bigfoot is different! If you have been flying our 3D planes for a while, you are used to the feel of them and you have developed reactions for flying them. Before you fly the Bigfoot, realize that it is a different animal.

On one of our 3D planes, for example, you can simply power out of a spin. The Bigfoot spins like a full-scale plane, and so you need to neutralize the controls and give it a little extra time to recover, just like a full scale aircraft or most RC scale aircraft.

The Bigfoot has an extremely wide speed range, from fast to extremely slow (about 3 mph), but you need to have the flaps extended at least 45 degrees to fly slowly and the aircraft will fly much slower with the flaps at 80 degrees than at 45. For this reason, we recommend approaching the Bigfoot in this manner:

Set the flaps up on a 3 position switch at first, with the positions as 0 degrees (full up or no flaps), 40 degrees (half flaps), and 80-85 degrees (full flaps).

Fly your first flight with no flaps and keep the speed up. Fly it like you would any sport plane. Once you have done this, gain a lot of altitude on the next flight and extend the flaps 40 degrees. You will see the nose pitch up. Take note of how much down elevator pressure it requires for level flight. Retract flaps. Land as before. Program in this same amount of elevator as your elevator-to-flaps compensation on your transmitter, so that you automatically have this amount of down elevator added when you drop flaps.

Fly again, gain altitude, and drop flaps 45 degrees and establish slow level flight. Drop flaps to 80 degrees. Full flaps are only for very slow flight. At full flaps, you will use throttle for your climb control, and you will not need to touch the elevator very much, just occasionally to keep the nose level. It is a different flight skill to fly this plane with full flaps, but once you master it, you will be able to fly extremely slowly at low altitude, turn very tightly, take off and land in little or no distance.

Practice using the flaps switch so that you become comfortable selecting UP, Half, and Full very easily without having to look at the transmitter. Once you do this, you can use the flaps for radical maneuvers. For instance, to perform a radical short distance bushplane takeoff, you drop FULL flaps, add full throttle so that Bigfoot leaps off of the ground, and once you have cleared the ground you select half flaps and fly away. If you can’t operate the flaps switch easily, you can’t fly this maneuver cleanly.